Machine for stringing hangers and the like



March 18, 1952 w. J. VAlL 2,589,899

MACHINE FOR STRINGING HANGERS AND THE LIKE Filed June 11, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l W. J. VAIL March 18, 1952 MACHINE FOR STRINGING HANGERS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1949 March 18, 1952 w. J. VAlL 2,589,899

MACHINE FOR STRINGING HANGERS AND THE LIKE Filed June 11, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet s W. J. VAlL March 18, 1952 MACHINE FOR STRINGING HANGERS AM; THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 11; 1949 m2 Tl y a M f i; J\ m a mwnw W MAW m5 Q MWN H mm N, QM, V .hh @Q i w Aw w r \fikll Patented Mar. 18, 1952 MACHINE FOR STRINGING HANGERS AND THE LIKE Walter J. Vail, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Vail Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 11, 1949, Serial No. 98,507

6 Claims.

This invention is concerned with a machine to which fabricated articles, such as wire coat hangers, may be continuously fed to be suspended from a horizontal supporting arm in evenly spaced apart relation preparatory to their undisturbed transfer to a rack bar Whereon the hangers are removed to a station where painting or enameling, as by spraying or dipping, is performed. Such a machine, when used in conjunction with an automatic fabricating mechanism from which the articles are fed as made, will obviate the uncertain and slow manual separation and spacing of the articles upon the rack bar which eventually receives them-an operation that is a prerequisite to the successful application of a coating such as paint or the like. In the ensuing description the term hanger will be used generically to designate any article whose form, size and other characteristics adapts it to be handled and strung in spaced relation upon a horizontal arm by a machine embodying the improved features of this invention.

The machine herein to be disclosed is fully automatic in that it receives the formed hangers, spaces them evenly apart upon an arm from which they are readily transferable to a removable rack bar, halts the continued feeding of hangers from the machine which continues to make and accumulate them for a brief period during which an empty supporting arm is automatically moved into receiving position, and performs these various operations automatically in timed relation so that the stringing of the hangers in spaced relation upon each supporting arm in succession proceeds as fast as the hangers are transferred from the forming machine whose output is thereby permitted to continue at full capacity. The only manual operation required is the transfer of the strung hangers off of the machine and removal thereof to the finishing station (which may be located but a few feet distant) when and as a supply of hangers are fed onto each supporting arm in evenly spaced relation; these manual operations are so easy and simple, however, that a single attendant can handle without effort the output of the present machine-something that would otherwise be impossible were the attendant also required to space the hangers apart upon the supporting rack bars which eventually receive them.

These and other objects and advantages are realized by a stringing machine embodying this invention of which a suggestive embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the manner following:

Figure l is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail in section, taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detailin section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control system employed;

Fig. 7 is a detail in section, taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section, taken on the angled line 88 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a detail in section, taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

In the present machine there is comprised a base ill from which rises a plurality of posts II to support a platform 12. The space between the base and platform accommodates most of the working parts and may, if desired, be enclosed for purposes of protection.

Mounted upon the base is an upstanding bracket i5 carrying a bearing I6 wherein is journaled a horizontal shaft ll at one end of which is a pulley I8 driven from a belt l9 (see Figs. 1 and 4). This belt in turn is driven from a pulley 2| at the power delivery end of a gear reducer contained in a case 22 to which power is transmitted from a motor 23. There is afiixed to the shaft H a beveled gear 25 in mesh with a second beveled gear 26 at the lower end of a vertical shaft 21 that is journaled for rotation in bearings 28 suitably supported as by a bracket 29 which upstands from the base It. The upper end of the shaft 21 connects with a slip clutch 30 whose driven member 3| is notched for engagement by a stop, here shown as a lever 32 adapted to be rocked by a solenoid 33 to the operative position shown by full lines in Fig. 5; when released to the dotted line position, the lever will free the clutch for transmission of power to a driven shaft 35 which is journaled for rotation within a bearing 36 that is vcarried by the platform l2 (see Fig. 8). At its upper end this driven shaft mounts a beveled gear 31 in mesh with a companion gear 38 that is affixed to the inner end of a horizontal shaft 40 which is rotatably supported at one end in bearings 4| contained within a tubular housing 42. A supporting structure 43 which rises from the platform I! carries a head plate 44 whereon is rested the base of a gear box 45 providing an enclosure for the gears 31 and 38; the gear box in turn supports the housing 42 whereby the horizontal shaft 40 is adequately sustained. Carried by this shaft is a plurality of helical flights cc extending continuously for nearly the full length of the shaft to constitute therewith a feed screw which operates in the special manner hereinafter explained in detail.

An internal ring gear 4'! is mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane just above the platform i2. As shown best in Fig. 8, this gear supports upon its upper face an annular turntable 43 to which it is connected as by bolts 49 which connect also with a ring which is accommodated within a peripheral recess on the under face of the ring gear. The ring 50 and gear 41 cooperate to provide between them an inner raceway complementing an outer raceway 5! which, as shown, is secured in place with the aid of a positioning ring 52 that may be welded fixedly to the platform I2. A plurality of balls 53 are confined between the inner and outer raceways to provide an antifriction mounting for the internal ring gear 41 and turntable carried thereby. The position of the ring gear and turntable is such as to enclose the shaft 35 and the associated supporting structure 43 at the point where it upstands from the platform [2.

The ring gear 41 is driven by a pinion 55 in mesh with its internal teeth, the pinion being affixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft 55 which is journaled for rotation in bearings 5 7 that are supported within a tubular housing 58 which extends through the plat'orm i2 and downwardly therefrom to connect with the driven element of a slip clutch 6i] whose driving element is carried by a shaft 6| upstanding from a gear box 52. A coupling 64 (see Fig. 4) connects the shaft I! with a horizontal shaft 65 extending into the gear box 62 to transmit power to the vertical shaft 56 for rotation of the turntable E8.

Extending outwardly from the annular turntable are four arms 67 spaced apart 90 (see Fig. 2), each desirably in the form of an upwardly fac'ing channel which at its inner end terminates in a widened shoulder 68 for anchorage on the turntable as by bolts 69. These several arms are disposed tangentially of a circle that is described about the center of the turntable, such a circle having a radius equal to the distance between the turntable center and the axis of the vertical shaft 35, the, purpose being to position "each arm successively in alignment with the 'der coacting with the top beveled end 13 of a locking bolt 14 that is mounted for vertical sliding movement through the platform to engage the shoulder 'of each insert 12 as it arrives in the position requisite for this purpose; the bolt at its bottom end is supported by a link connection at 15 (see Fig. 1) to one end of a rocker arm 16 fulcrumed at 11 and biased by a spring 18 to maintain the bolt in an up position with its top end 13 adjacent the annular turntable in position to engage the insert 12 next arriving opposite thereto; and a solenoid 853 having its armature in link connection at 8| with the opposite end of the rocker arm '16 so that, when energized, the solenoid armature will tilt the rocker arm to lower the bolt and free the turntable for further rotation through another 90. The continuously rotating slip clutch 69 will advance the turntable each time the bolt M is retracted, so that starting and stopping of the turntable proceeds automatically and in accordance with timing that is determined by operation of the solenoid 80.

Carried by the shaft 17 is a gear 84 (see Fig. 4) in mesh with a gear 85 that is affixed to a shaft 86 which, through a speed reducing unit 81 (see Fig. 9) drives at slow speed a shaft 88 whereon is a disc 89 mounting on one side a dog 91 and on the other side an arcuate cam 92 which extends through more than 180. Opposite the arcuate cam is a roller 93 on one arm of a bell-crank which is pivoted at 9%; the other bell-crank arm 95 is disposed adjacent the operating button 96 of a microswitch 91, the arrangement being such that the roller $33, when engaged by the arcuate cam 92, will rock the bell crank to operate the switch 97 to closed position. There is also another like roller bell-crank microswitch assembly immediately to the rear of the one just described (as viewed in Fig. 9), the arrangement being diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 6 where I have designated as 93 the microswitch which is positioned oppositely of the dog 9| so as to be operated to closed position thereby.

A simple circuit arrangement for interconnecting the switches 97 and 98 with the two solenoids previously noted is also suggested in Fig. 6. Here a conductor I653 leading awayfrom a source of current is in connection at IGI with one side of the solenoid 80 from whose opposite side a connectio H32 leads to the switch 98 which is in connection with a second conductor I83 leading back to the current source. The switch 98 is adapted to be closed by the dog 9| for a relatively short periodlong enough for the solenoid to retract the bolt M and permit the turntable to resume rotation for execution of its cyclic movement in response to operation of the slip clutch 60. The conductor me also continues on for connection with one side of the solenoid 33 from whose opposite side a connection I05 leads to the switch 91, the circuit being completed by a connection we therefrom to the conductor I03. This latter switch when operated by the arcuate cam 92 is held closed for a relatively long period during which the lever stop 32 is rocked to a releasing position to permit the clutch 30 to transmit power to the screw shaft 49 to produce operation thereof. The positioning of the dog and cam on the timing disc 89 (see Fig. 9) is such that when energization of the solenoid 33 has ceased, there will be a relatively long time gap before the other solenoid 86 is energized to permit the turntable to advance through another 90, and a relatively short time gap thereafter before the solenoid 33 is again energized to rotate the screw shaft 36 through another of its cyclic operations.

The helical flights d6 carried by the screw shaft 48 lie close at the lowermost point to the top side of each channeled arm (51 when positioned directly therebelow '(see Fig. 4). By means presently to be described, a succession of hangers HI are delivered to the outer end of each supporting arm 61 to depend therefrom for reception between the helical flights 46 to be advanced thereby in evenly spaced relation lengthwise of the arm. The flights thus serve as a feed screw for the hangers and act to separate them with a uniform spacing for the length of each supporting arm. When so strong upon the arm, a rack 1 positioned the rack bar may be lifted from the channeled arm 61 and removed to a finishing station to carry the suspended hangers while still spaced evenly apart and ready for a painting or enameling treatment.

' Welded or otherwise secured to the gear box 45 is a plate which is extended alongside the feed screw to one side thereof (see Fig. 4) and preferably reinforced by a rib H6. This plate and rib constitute a bracket for support at .its outer end of an arm II8 which extends transversely to provide a bearing I20 wherein is journaled a shank I2I which projects axially from the. base end of a conical head I22 having outstanding screw threads I23. The shank I2I is fitted into an axial socket at the outer end of the shaft 40 and pinned thereto so as to rotate therewith.

The forming machine which produces the hangers III (or other like articles) discharges them onto a magazine in the form of a downwardly inclined bar I25 from which the hangers are suspended and along which they slide by gravity to a desired delivery point. It is at this point (see Fig. 1) that I locate the conical head I22 which provides a controlled release for the hangers in their movement to the stirring machine of this invention. The projecting screw threads I23 are disposed close to the upper side of the magazine bar I25 so as to engage with the oncoming hangers III and, unless the conical head I22 be undergoing rotation, advance of the foremost hangers will be stopped, thereby causing succeeding hangers to stack up rearwardly thereof in the magazine. When rotation of the conical head is resumed, however, the hangers will be permitted to continue their gravity advance, but in spaced apart relation as determined by the spacing of the threads I23 which enter in between the oncoming hangers to control their release from the magazine.

The lower end of the magazine bar I25 lies just above the outer end of the proximate channeled arm 61 where underlapping inclined guides I21 upstand to receive each hanger I I I as it falls off the magazine and direct it onto the supporting arm 61 beneath the outermost convolutions of the helical flights 45. At this point each hanger III is successively engaged by the feed screw to be advanced along the supporting arm in a predetermined spaced relation to the remaining hangers thereupon. When substantially a full supply of hangers has been strung upon the supporting arm 61, operation of the feed screw is halted; the hangers III continuing to come off the forming machine then start accumulating on the magazine bar I25, and the channeled arm 67 swings out from under the feed screw in response to rotation of the turntable through 90; a rack bar III! is next slid into the channeled arm and then lifted therefrom to carry the strung hangers off the machine for operative positioning in a finishing station which may be but a step or two away.

Each cyclic movement of the turntable positions an empty channeled arm 6'! operatively with respect to the feed screw. Concurrently with the completion of this movement, operation of the feed screw is resumed and also a controlled release of the hangers I I l a supply of which has been accumulating on the magazine bar I 25. The capacity of (a) the conical head I22 to release the hangers for deposit on each supporting arm 61 and (b) of the feed screw to advance such hangers along the arm in spaced relation thereupon is desirably such that, when allowance is made for the rest period of the feed screw, it will substantially equal the production capacity of the forming machine. By maintaining such a timing relationship, the hangers which accumulate on the magazine bar I25 during each rest period of the feed screw will be transferred onto the stringing machine during each cyclic operation of the feed screw, so that the magazine will be substantially or completely exhausted when the feed screw is again halted concurrently with cyclic movement of the turntable to permit insertion of a rack bar and removal thereof with sup' ported hangers to the finishing station.

At an earlier point in this description I have explained the operation of the electrical controls, viz. the two solenoids 33 and which are energized at instants and for durations that are determined by the dog 9| and arcuate cam 92 on the constantly rotating timing disc 89. The two clutches controlled by these solenoids cause the turntable arms 61 and screw shaft 40 to operate at the moments and for the intervals above described to release hangers from the magazine and advance them processionally along each supporting arm 61 while the turntable remains at rest; when the bar is loaded, the feed screw stops to halt the advance of hangers and permit another supply thereof to accumulate in the magazine I25 concurrently with a cyclic movement of the turntable to (a) shift the loaded supporting arm to a position for reception of a rack bar and its removal from the machine and (b) bring an empty supporting arm into loading position whereupon operation of the feed screw is automatically resumed. It will be observed, therefore, that the stringing machine of this invention, while independent of the forming machine, is nevertheless desirably timed to operate in coordinated relation therewith. By so doing, the output of the stringing machine is maintained at substantially the same capacity level as the machine which forms the hangers.

I claim:

1. A stringing machine having, in combination, a feed screw with helical flights mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis, a turntable disposed below the feed screw and mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, and a plurality of supporting arms carried by the turntable and extended outwardly therefrom at equal distances apart and rotatable through a horizontal plane slightly below the helical flights of the feed screw to and from said feed screw, each arm providing a support whereon hangers may be advanced from its outer end toward its inner end for stringing lengthwise thereof, the hangers when suspended from each supporting arm while in operative position relative to the feed screw being engageable by the helical flights of the rotatable feed screw to be advanced along the arm in spaced apart relation, and a conical head having projecting screw threads, said head projecting from the outer end of the feed screw to rotate therewith and engage a plurality of vertically disposed hangers sliding down an inclined magazine, the threads of the conical head entering in between the adjacent hangers to control their gravity descent preliminary to dropping onto the supporting arm near its outer end for engagement by the helical flights of the feed screw.

2. A stringing machine according to claim 1 in which there is power means to operate the tumtable and also the feed screw, one in timed relation with respect to the other.

7 3. stringing machine according to claim 1 in which there is power transmission means from a'common source to both the turntable and the feed screw, a clutch in each power transmission means, and control means in connection with each clutch to establish driving connections therethrough but at different periods of time.

4. For use with a hanger-forming machine including a magazine bar for accumulation of hangers and wherein the hangers are successively discharged from the magazine bar; an arm mounted horizontally for movement into and out of position in which it is adapted to extend longitudinally of and from the magazine bar, a stationary'support extending horizontally longitudinally of said magazine bar in a plane above the plane i n-which said arm moves whereby said arm passes under the support in its path of travel relative to the magazine bar, a conveyor carried bysaid'support and disposed over said arm longitudinally thereof in position for moving hangers along the arm and holding the said hangers spaced from each other, a member carried by said support and overlapping said magazine bar and constituting means for successively feeding hangers from the magazine bar onto the arm when the arm is opposite the magazine bar, said arm having longitudinally extending transversely spaced upstanding flanges upon upper edges of which the hangers rest, and an elongated barlike member for removing hangers from the arms, the said bar-like member being of dimensions adapting it to be deposited upon the arm between the flanges thereof for approximately the full length of the arm and then moved upwardly and lift the hangers from the arm.

'5. For use with a hanger-forming machine including a magazine bar free at one end and disposed at a downward incline toward its .free end andvalong which hangers suspended from the bar are adapted to slide toward the free end or" the magazine bar; an arm mounted horizontally for movement into and outof a rhangerreceiving':p0-, sition in which it extends longitudinal-1y from the free lower end of the magazine bar, a stationary support extending horizontally in a plane above the plane in which said arm moves whereby the arm may pass'under the support during its movement toward and away from the magazine bar, a conveyor carried by said support and disposed over said arm longitudinally thereof when the arm is in its hanger-receiving position and serving to move hangers along the arm in spaced relation to each other, and an auxiliary conveyor rotatably carried by said support and extending therefrom longitudinally of the first conveyor, the auxiliary conveyor being tapered toward its outer end and disposed in overlapping relation to the lower end portion of the magazine bar and having threads disposed close to the magazine b'ar and serving to successively move hangers on of the free end of the magazine bar onto said arm when in operation-and also serving to hold hangers upon the magazine bar when not in motion.

6. The structure of claim '5 wherein the first conveyor is a rotatably mounted spiral conveyor and the auXiliar-yconveyor has ashank'rotatably mounted through a portion of the support and coupled to the outer end of the spiral conveyor for turning with the spiral conveyor.

WALTER J. VAIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,433,642- Olson Oct.31, 1922 1,477,212 Eokertz Dec. 11, .1923 1,984,659 Simmons etal Dec. 18, 1934 2,078,503 Meiser Apr. 27, .1937 2,259,748 Hullhorst -Oc-t.'2l, 194d 

